The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-12-23

| inquiry sent ahead, preferIng ourselves
to tell the story of the impressed powder
train and Beauregard's need of ammu-
milton. While this was being done, others
threw a few distractions on the track.
When once more on board we noticed a
quickening of speed that after our long
rest was delightful. We had been run
ming slowly since leaving Big Shanty, but
now Andrews said to his crew, "Push her,
! boys, push her." Wilson heaped in the
| wood, and the fire, which was but moder-
ate when we lett Kingston, was soon roar
which meant two hours to Kingston.
They were making seven or eight miles
on the pole car, and that, If kept up Dit
was the utmost they could do), would
bring them to Etowah in two or three
hours from the start. "Then it," Fuller
continued, 1--WE can find the old Yonah
ready at our end of the branch, we can
take her and run up to Kingston in fifteen
minutes more. There are to be some
extra trains on the road today that viii
bother the scoundrels up there, and the
chances are that we will overhaul them at
that place, where we will get plenty Of
help" "But If we do not find the
Yonah ready9" was asked. "Why, then,
so far as / can see, we are DONE" was the
reply.
They did not stop to speculate, but were
all this time pressing on at the very high
est speed possible. 1t might well be that
one minute would make all the difference
between finding the Yonah and her
starting back to the iron works, miles
away. But there was sharp Interrupt
ton just before they came in sight Of
Etowah, and while they were straining
every nerve and looking forward to see if
the smoke of the engine was yet visible.
| We had taken up rail, and there was q
crash, a sense Of falling, and they found
themselves lying, hand car and all, in a
heap at the bottom of ditch II the en-
bankment had been as high at that place
| as at many others on the road, all our
danger would have ended, for no other
party that day originated anything against
| us; but the ground was almost level; and
except few bruises, they were unhurt,
| and at once placed their car on the track
again.
While doing this, they were greatly
stimulated and hurried by noticing the
smoke and steam of the Yonah, which
they could see across the long bend on
their side of Etowah river. If they could
only make the distance, a little more than
mile, before the engine went back on
the branchl With all their power, like
men working for their lives, they drove
forward. They were noon to soon. The
engine was on the main track still, and
the tender was just being turned on the
half moon turn table, preparatory to start
ing back. But the people there saw the
furiously driven hand car, with the shout
ing, excited men on it, and at once sus-
pended their work and gathered around
20 4 he. Af g., ~
lures. Fuller had not much breath left
to spend in talking, but managed to say
that the Yankees had taken his train, and
that he wanted their engine, and all of
them with their guns to follow in chase.
He, with every man of his party, was well
known and there was no stopping TO ques-
ton. Their very appearance, streaming
with sweat and almost exhausted, bore
witness to the urgency of their haste. A
score Of strong arms whirled back the
tender on the turn table, and pushed it
and an empty coal car up to the engine,
while number of Confederate soldiers
who were waiting to take the next train
southward to Big Shanty, piled in also,
Now they were of with strong, well
armed party, and the chase was on more
equal terms. "The Yonah," in the
words of Fuller, twas not a strong en-
CINE, but had large wheels, was as active
as cat, and with light load would run
very fast" She was now just in the ser
vice adapted to her, and her drivers called
out all her powers. AS they few over the
ground, it was q refreshing contrast to
the eKertions on foot or hand car. The
thirteen miles were made in sixteen min
utes, If the extra trains at Kingston
only entangled us as long as Fuller hoped,
the whole affair would soon be brought to
a final issuei He did not dread the fight
that was likely to follow, for our number
was only reported even yet by those who
had seen us working as eight, while he
had some twenty well armed men with
him at this stage Of the journey; and there
were the crews of the four or five trains
at Kingston. Indeed, Fuller and Murphy
might be cxcu cd if they rather feared
that ''the Yaal, IS" might be captured be-
fore they arrived.
tTosbe Continued.)